


Like Lightning

by wordsareleftbehind (froggydarren)



Category: Glee RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Invisible Thread Project, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-25
Updated: 2013-09-25
Packaged: 2017-12-27 15:00:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/980283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/froggydarren/pseuds/wordsareleftbehind
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>Two houses, both aligned in dignity...</i> no, they're not in Verona, nor are their houses mortal enemies. Chris wears his Ravenclaw colors with pride to a Harry Potter-themed tour of London and expects nothing, least of all a whirlwind of a tour guide in Hufflepuff colors who makes him wish he'd have a soulmate mark already.</p>
<p>Written for the <a href="invisiblethreadproject.tumblr.com">Invisible Thread Project</a>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Like Lightning

**Author's Note:**

> **Beta readers:** [Nomi](gnomerino.tumblr.com) & [Ramenda](blackwhiteriot.tumblr.co)  
>  **Artist:** [Shannen](abritincanadatwo.tumblr.com) ([art link](http://abritincanadatwo.tumblr.com/post/62250441209/companion-drawing-for-jens-itp-fic-which-i-am))  
> 

**  
ϟ  
**

"Mind the gap!"

He'd been in the city for a few weeks now, but the giddy smile still appeared on his lips when the voice sounded over the speakers. It had been a dream for some time and he couldn't help but feel like a kid in a candy store just because of the fact that he was now in London, trying to not look too much like a tourist. The city would be home for a while and he was, thanks to his frequent explorations of maps and photos, finding his way around quite easily.

For once, it was only a few stops he needed to take and the train was relatively quiet since the peak time was over. He scanned the few people in the carriage and grinned when he realized some of them would be getting off the train at the same stop as he was planning to. The colors he spotted were unsurprisingly similar and he tugged on the sleeves of his shirt self-consciously, knowing he would stand out. It was then that a glimpse of yellow caught his attention, peeking from under a grey sweater on a tie similar to his own. When he spotted movement, he ducked his head and stared at his own hands as they plucked invisible threads off his jeans. His mind briefly flashed back to the leaflet that he read before he left his hotel that morning and an image from it made him almost look up again.

' _Come on, Chris, it would be too much of a coincidence_ ," he told himself when his mind prodded him with thoughts of red strings and marks, all connected to where he was heading to.

But he knew it wasn't going to be that simple and straight-forward since, he thought to himself to drown out the sparks of 'maybe', _nothing ever is that simple_.

"Next station is, King's Cross. Doors open on your right hand side."

Chris slowly pulled himself up off the seat and tugged on the strap of his bag, not surprised to notice a group of people standing up at the same time. They were the ones he spotted earlier with uniform red and gold colors on various parts of their clothing. The small glimpse of yellow on his other side almost distracted him from walking to the doors, but despite the temptation, he kept his head down and stepped out onto the platform once the train stopped.

' _Adventure time_ ,' he let the smile that was tugging on his lips grow as he followed the exit signs.

**  
ϟ  
**

Darren straightened out his tie and tugged his beanie further down over his curls, careful not to dislodge his earphones that streamed Beyonce’s _Single Ladies_ into his ears. He felt unusually self-conscious when he got out of the train and headed towards the meeting point for his tour. It wasn't his first one by far, but today felt more special somehow, though he didn't understand why. He had guided the ones on September 1st, the ones that were fully booked out because of the significance of the date, but the feeling of importance hadn't hit then.

He'd been overjoyed when he got accepted for the job, the first one he had since arriving in London and he was sure his previous experience with all things Harry Potter had been helpful. Nothing felt quite as _right_ before, not the play he'd helped stage in college nor any of the fan gatherings he took part in back home. He'd always told his friends that nothing would compare to being in places where the story was set, especially when they questioned his motives for moving to London. What he didn't explain, though, was the tug in the pit of his stomach that he'd felt from the moment he first considered the move, the one that wasn't connected to his obsession with the magical saga.

It was the same tug, though before it used to be a lot more dulled, that he felt now, stronger with every step he took towards the meeting point.

' _On the train, Darren_ ,' a small voice supplied, ' _It started a few stops ago on the train_.'

He knew the voice was right, but he shelved the thought for later, though he couldn't stop his mind from flashing images of the people on the train, wondering if one of them may have been, if today was his 'it could happen' day…

' _It **will** happen when it's supposed to_ ,' he chastised himself while he rummaged his bag for the list of people he was supposed to guide along the tour.

There had been a special reason he decided that being a tour guide would be perfect, one that had little to do with the theme of the tour. The one reason he didn't tell anyone but his closest friends was that he'd wanted to meet as many people as possible, to make the odds better. He had the tales of soul mates memorized, the stories his Mom used to tell him when he was small, and the romances he read as he got older. He heard the stories from the people who had already been lucky enough to find that person and he couldn't wait to find his own missing half.

The incessant tugging in his stomach made him wonder, more than he usually did, if the day had finally arrived.

**  
ϟ  
**

Chris eyed the meeting point as he strolled past, trying to not roll his eyes at the small group in red and yellow scarves. There was more to the tour for him than simple nerding out over his favorite story, his mind swimming with information he knew he'd need to hold back on. Not for the first time, he wondered how it would be to guide a tour like that, but he quickly squashed the thought. It wasn't his thing, to be open to people the way he knew he'd have to be, to show enthusiasm that an audience like that almost required. He almost stopped to wait for the tour, but a glance at his watch told him there was still time, so he continued on, eyes glancing curiously over the building progress on the station.

He thought back to a few weeks earlier, when he got to King's Cross for the first time, to the disappointment he felt at not being able to look over everything because of the restoration and improvement works that blocked off a lot of the area. It was why he'd signed up for the tour, because as much as he hated to admit it, he _did_ want to nerd out over the Platform 9 3/4 trolley, but wasn't able to find it.

An announcement tore him from his mind's musings and he looked back to the meeting point that was still in clear view. The group gathered there was still smaller than he expected, but he pushed off the wall he was leaning on and headed over. Only a few steps later, he spotted the flash of bright yellow that had intrigued him on the train earlier.

' _At least I won't be the only one standing out_ ,' he thought and brushed his fingers over his own tie, the blue contrasting with the silver stripes threading across it.

**  
ϟ  
**

The list was almost completely crossed out and Darren scanned it for the name that one of the younger kids called out to him. He smiled at the girl, her red hair obvious even under the hat that was a size or two too big, a lion badge proudly displayed on her sweater.

"Well now, you _must_ be a Weasley," he quipped and chuckled when her cheeks flushed as she shook her head, "No? Are you sure? You look fierce enough to be related to Ginny, that's for sure. Bet you can't wait to get your letter."

He caught the glance from the little girl's parents, who were standing a few steps behind the girl. Nodding towards them, he crossed the family names off the list and scanned it again, spotting only one name still unchecked. When he looked back up, the first thing that caught his attention was the blue and silver pattern over a crisp white shirt.

"We got ourselves a smart one today," he blurted out, his voice steadier than he thought it would be, his insides shaking, "You must be Chris."

The boy quirked an eyebrow, questioning Darren's guess, so Darren turned his clipboard around and pointed to the list he was crossing out.

"Only one name left and you look ready to board the train," he shrugged, "Not a first year, then?"

He only got an answer in the form of a head shake, but he didn't miss the little smile on the boy's lips or the faint blush on his cheeks.

**  
ϟ  
**

Chris knew he was blushing, but he couldn't stop his cheeks warming up when the guide directed his charm in Chris' direction.

_It's in his job description_ , Chris chastised himself for letting his mind drift to possibilities he wasn't ready for.

Instead, he made himself focus on the introduction of the tour, trying to not be too obvious as he glanced on the guide's name tag. 'Darren' was spelled out on the little rectangle in a yellow that matched the Hufflepuff tie under a grey sweater. It was only when Darren started talking about the significance of King's Cross in the books and mentioned the platform that Chris couldn't help himself.

"Actually," he spoke up when Darren paused for a moment, "Jo Rowling did say she made a mistake," he referenced what Darren was just explaining, "But even in that she wasn't correct. The platforms nine and ten aren't next to each other here," Chris waved his hand in the direction of where the platforms had been originally, away from the main building, "But they aren't at Euston either, like she said. She got her numbering wrong."

"Ravenclaw," Darren muttered without a hint of animosity, "Had I known, I would have brushed up on my info. Come here, I have a feeling I'll need your help today,” he added.

Chris hesitated, unsure about being in the spotlight, though he was the one pulling attention to himself by butting in. Relief washed over him when Darren didn’t press on, allowing Chris to stay where he was.

**  
ϟ  
**

Darren hoped that the boy, _Chris_ , would come closer, because his mind was already spinning a tale as romantic and cheesy as it got. But he didn't miss the hesitation when he offered Chris to help out and bit his tongue.

"Okay, moving on," he blurted quickly, before glancing back to Chris, "unless there's someone related to Hermione too. You aren't, are you? I mean, she _was_ a Hatstall and almost a Ravenclaw, so…"

He heard the chuckle accompanying a 'no' as Chris shook his head.

"Then again, your hair is nowhere near bushy and unruly… aaand with that, my apologies, Darren is back to his usual programming," he glanced to the rest of the group, hoping they found his attempts to not make a fool out of himself amusing rather than annoying.

"Now, does everyone have their train tickets?" he asked with a serious tone, looking more pointedly to the two younger kids in the group, "We should be going now, or we won't get across the barrier at all."

He led the group across the station to the trolley that had been moved outside, his eyes searching out Chris every few steps. The tug in his stomach grew stronger every time their eyes met, but Darren told himself to not push.

_Easy does it, Criss, easy does it._

**  
ϟ  
**

Chris followed the group, staying at the back because he was hoping it would make them all forget about him and his interrupting of the tour. He realized all too quickly that while the group almost immediately brushed it all off and focused their attention back on Darren, the guide himself seemed to be keeping a close eye on Chris.

When they turned the corner and Chris spotted the trolley on the outside wall, he had to stop himself from slapping a hand to his face. He'd only missed it the time he visited the station before because he gave up looking just before he turned that corner. From the curious glance Darren threw his way, he hadn't managed to keep his face neutral, though.

"Here we go, everyone get their tickets ready. The barrier was moved because Muggles are working on the station, so here's hoping it works," Darren smirked, "just in case, though, does anyone own an Anglia?"

The group laughed as they shook their heads and Darren mimed a terrified face.

"Well, we better work this one," everyone turned their heads back to the trolley that Darren had his hand on, "Oh wait, I guess I should wait until you're all through, so no one chickens out," he glanced to the kids, "or gets left behind," and Chris didn't miss the pointed look in his direction.

**  
ϟ  
**

There was a certain level of theatrics he usually applied to his commentary of the tour, but Darren had to admit to himself that he was playing it up a little stronger. He knew it was to keep Chris' attention, to maybe get him a little more thawed out so that by the end of the tour, they'd be on friendly enough terms.

_I don't want to let him go_ , flashed through Darren's mind and he froze for a moment.

He'd been thinking about ways to keep in touch with Chris, of course, felt like there was something binding him to the blue eyed boy who was still shying away from any form of contact, but to hear his own thoughts spell it out so clearly shocked him.

"Now," he shook his head to clear it and focused back on the group just as the last one took their photo of attempting to pass the Platform 9 3/4 barrier. "It looks like we're either late," he gasped for effect, "or the Muggles messed with the magic."

He smiled softly at the two kids who looked heartbroken but his eyes then flashed to Chris again.

"Wait," he held up a finger, "You didn't try yet, Chris," Darren said pointedly, "You _have to_ , what if you're the only one who can help us get to Hogwarts? What if you're the only one who can cross the barrier and alarm the staff that the rest of us are stuck?"

When Chris shook his head and Darren spotted the beginnings of a blush yet again, he hesitated, but then saw the smile playing on Chris' lips.

"Please?" he knelt down next to the red haired girl and they both shot a pleading look to Chris.

**  
ϟ  
**

_He's playing it up for the kids_ , Chris thought, _play along, Christopher, it won't do any harm._

"Maybe," he started with a teasing tone, "You all have just been doing it wrong."

"Show us how, then, oh smart Ravenclaw," Darren chuckled.

Chris felt the eyes on him as he stepped towards the trolley and tried to shake off his nerves. He'd wanted to do this, of course, but he was also disappointed that he wouldn't have any photographic evidence since he was alone.

"Do you want any pictures taken?" he suddenly heard Darren next to him, whispering so only Chris could hear, "I mean, I know you're not here with anyone who could, so I thought I would offer."

"Thank you," Chris mumbled back and handed Darren the camera he had stashed in his pocket, "Now let me try this," he said out loud for the rest of the group to hear.

He heard the chuckles when he pretended to push against the trolley and made an exaggeratedly strained face towards Darren who was happily snapping pictures.

"No," Chris eventually conceded, "This isn't working. It must be the trolley that made the barrier break."

"I'm tempted to say 'Potter'," he heard Darren comment, "But why would he be trying to go back to school?"

"So what now?" the kids asked in unison.

"The ministry, of course," Darren said with a serious face, "We'll need to see about a Portkey or the Floo Network."

**  
ϟ  
**

"Chris, would you mind keeping an eye out for any stragglers?" Darren glanced over and handed Chris back his camera, "We wouldn't want to lose anyone."

It was, of course, a ruse to be able to glance over to Chris every once in awhile on the tour, but Darren hoped he wasn't entirely obvious and Chris wouldn't catch on. He was determined to keep the boy in his sight at all times, but didn't want to scare him off too fast either. They set off to the tour bus that was parked nearby, painted in purple like the Knight Bus, though unfortunately missing the third floor.

"No sleeping on the bus, please," Darren announced with exaggeration back in his tone. "No getting sick either. Our bus assistants will … oh no, wait, that's me and I can't do the safety demonstration when I'm supposed to talk at the same time," he bugged his eyes out in mock panic, "Here, Chris…"

He watched as Chris whipped his head around from where he was already seated and shook his head forcefully.

"Just… act out what I'm saying?" Darren shot Chris his best pleading look, "Feel free to correct me if I get something wrong."

Chris' shoulders sagged a little but he stood up and moved to the aisle, his lips turning up when he spotted the kids giggling at the show Darren was making out of the tour.

"Now, first of all, we all need to have a secure spot to sit down," Darren started and tried to convey to Chris that he should pretend to be sitting down.

The response was an exasperated ' _Seriously?_ ' that Chris mouthed at him before he mimed sitting down on an imaginary chair.

**  
ϟ  
**

_I'm going to kill him by the end of this_ , Chris thought as he went through the motions of Darren's made up safety demonstration that consisted mostly of comments to make the kids laugh.

Finally, Chris heard, "and we're off, please take your seats everyone," from Darren and he slumped into the nearest seat just as the bus took off. He had not expected to hear several bits of commentary on historical buildings and events not related to the Harry Potter movies or books. The tour, he checked when Darren kept talking, hadn't mentioned any of that, so he figured that Darren had added those himself.

"That's not entirely right," Chris couldn't help but remark when Darren got a fact wrong, then he immediately blushed. "No, sorry, please continue," he mumbled when Darren glanced over his shoulder.

He saw Darren smile and nod to urge Chris to say what he was going to, so Chris gave in and trying to not go too overboard on data, corrected Darren's mistake. Even though all the eyes were on him, the nervousness dissipated as soon as he was pulled to the front, Darren asking him to help out with the commentary.

"I really shouldn't…" Chris tried to protest but before he could finish, Darren had a finger over his own lips and continued with his commentary of the route when Chris got the hint.

**  
ϟ  
**

"So, Chris will be helping me out with what I clearly don't have the brain capacity for," Darren chuckled when the third correction of historical data spilled from Chris' lips. "I hope none of you guys mind learning from a pro?"

The rest of the bus voiced their consent, which Darren wasn't surprised by and he let himself exhale with relief. For him, it was a way to keep Chris close, which felt like a necessity, though he didn't understand why. As the tour went on and the end of it neared, Darren found himself increasingly more distracted by figuring out plans to stay in touch with Chris once they went their separate ways.

"We should get you a job on the tour," he mumbled when Chris was explaining something to one of the adults who jumped at the chance to make the tour more than just a fun thing for the kids, "You definitely know more than me."

Chris finished up the explanation and blushed.

"I guess I can't help being a nerd," he tugged on his tie, "I'm sorry I've hijacked your job."

"No," Darren immediately jumped in before Chris started to apologize more, "No, I'm…" he gulped nervously, "I'm really glad you're on this tour."

Darren saw Chris' face morph into disbelief and it made him want to repeat over and over just how happy he was to have met Chris.

_Without scaring him off, you don't even know if he isn't just waiting to get away_ , Darren thought with a frown.

**  
ϟ  
**

As the tour progressed, there were plenty of moments when Darren turned to Chris with a look in his face that Chris quickly learned to decipher as “am I getting it right?”. He settled in to his role of ‘assistant’, not that he had much of a choice, because anytime he tried to find his way to a regular seat, Darren stopped him.

“I should really be getting a share of your pay for this,” he quipped in a quiet moment when the group went looking around a spot they were at.

He immediately regretted the slip when Darren froze and his face began turning into an apologetic expression from the giddy smile that Chris couldn’t seem to get enough of.

“I’m sorry, I’m totally taking advantage of you, I…” Darren babbled.

“No, don’t,” Chris stepped in quickly, “I was joking, I promise. This is actually fun, it’s not often that someone is willing to put up with my nerdiness about history.”

“I’m…” Darren paused, his eyes on the footpath and his shoes scuffing on the stones, “I’m really impressed, actually.”

“Oh… thanks?”

They didn’t get a chance to continue, the group returning to the bus and ready to embark on the next part of the tour. Chris glanced to Darren more often during the drive to their next destination, trying to figure out the words that were left hanging in the air, unspoken. Much as he tried, there was no denying the tension that took over since their little exchange.

**  
ϟ  
**

"It's time for a little detour from the theme, guys," Darren announced and carefully kept his eyes away from everyone, "But I've added this place in a while ago, since there is no way we can stop at Diagon Alley right now. It's almost as good, though, I promise."

He glanced around and didn't hear any indication of protest, the group seemed happy to go along with anything he suggested. Soon enough, he was ushering them out of the bus and into the busy area of a market he'd come to love, its atmosphere close to what he'd always imagined the magical world to be, easy-going and friendly.

"Now, I'm sure there's history here that Chris could tell us all about," Darren glanced to his side with a grin, "But how about we just all explore on our own this time? And on the way back, Chris can have at it with the rest? I’ll meet all of you right here in about an hour? Don’t panic if you’re running late, though."

The group nodded and Darren was glad to notice that Chris didn't just run off with the rest of them when they headed off to explore.

"So, kind sir, how about I show you around in exchange for your help?"

"You managed to find one of the few places I didn't get to see yet, so," Chris smiled, "Lead the way."

Darren barely contained the sudden bounce in his step.

**  
ϟ  
**

The market was crowded enough that Chris barely managed to not lose sight of Darren only moments after they walked through the gate. They stopped at a few stalls, but none for too long until Darren veered off to a less busy row and ducked into one small shop. Chris glanced in, but instead of following Darren inside, he caught sight of a display of leather bracelets and cuffs in front of the shop. He let his fingers run over a few of them until he picked a black one that he liked.

“It would suit you,” Darren’s voice came from a lot closer than he’d expected, “Come on, try it on.”

Chris hesitated, but when he looked up, both Darren and the vendor were nodding for him to try the cuff on.

It was when Darren reached out and their hands brushed against each other that Chris felt a sting on his arm. His eyes zoned in on the spot just above his elbow, expecting a wasp or something else that could’ve caused it, but there was nothing. He felt Darren’s curious eyes on him, so he tried to shrug it off and slipped the cuff on, fastening it tight around his wrist.

“It’s perfect,” Darren smiled, “And look, it has a spot you can put a charm on, I know the perfect place. You’re getting it, right?”

Blindsided by Darren’s rambling and the continued sting on his arm, Chris nodded and wordlessly pulled out his wallet to pay for the cuff. He barely got his change back when he felt Darren’s hand in his and then he was pulled back into the alley between the shops.

**  
ϟ  
**

Seeing the cuff on Chris’ wrist lit something up in Darren’s mind and he instantly knew which shop he wanted to go to. It was one of his favorites and the place where he got quite a few things before, not just for himself but also as presents. He remembered the charms selection he saw the last time he visited the market.

He didn’t need to check if Chris was following him, because though he didn’t really remember how, their hands were still linked together.

“Look, Chris,” he finally stopped at a stall that had multiple display boxes leaning against its walls, “This is what I wanted to show you!”

Darren picked a charm from one of the velvet cushions nearby, a little circle with an angel cut into it, and he held it out to Chris.

“It would be perfect for the side here,” he pointed to the cuff, but then noticed Chris’ expression, “But I’m overstepping, aren’t I? I mean, I just thought it would fit. And… I’d really like to get it for you?”

The last line slipped past his lips as a question and he looked to the floor, a little afraid to meet Chris’ eyes. Their hands parted then and Darren was shaken out of his thoughts by a sharp pain on his wrist. He held back a gasp and without looking at Chris again, muttered a quick “excuse me” and darted away from the stall.

**  
ϟ  
**

_What just happened?_ Chris wondered and watched Darren’s head disappear in the crowd.

His hand felt empty without Darren’s holding it, and the charm that Darren pressed into his palm earlier was too hot, almost like it was burning. Chris looked at it and yet again felt the sting on his arm, but this time, his curiosity took over and he rolled up his sleeve.

“What…” he stared blankly at a red spot above his elbow that was taking shape in front of his eyes.

He knew what it was, he had been told to expect it at some point in his life. The marks that everyone was taught to wait for, the ones that meant that they were close to finding a soulmate. But instead of a relief, Chris felt ice cold fear run through him. He wasn’t at home, he’d be leaving London at some point, so the thought of finding his soulmate and having to leave him behind was not what he wanted to think of.

“No,” he whispered to himself and quickly pushed his sleeve back down so he wouldn’t see it.

It didn’t help, because his mind was spinning, the image of the mark burned into his brain.

“No,” he told himself more forcefully and blushed when the girl behind the shop’s counter eyed him.

He reached for his wallet to get the charm Darren suggested, not thinking about whether he really wanted it or not. That was when his eyes landed on a ring displayed near the register, a simple silver and black band. He barely heard the comment from the girl about Irish Silver as he picked it up and placed on the counter next to his charm, pulling out enough money for both.

“Thank you,” he muttered when she wrapped the two items and handed them over.

Once he was back out in the alley, his mind finally cleared to allow something new to take over and he started scanning the crowd of people for the now familiar dark curls and the Hufflepuff colored beanie.

**  
ϟ  
**

Darren’s arm kept stinging while he was trying to make his way around the people in the market. He made his way to a corner he knew to usually be quiet and finally reached for his sleeve, pushing it out of the way. When the bright red mark appeared, he sighed, though it wasn’t entirely a surprise. He had waited for it, he had dreamed of getting it for quite some time, but now that it was there, all he felt was disappointment. He’d been told that the mark would show up in anticipation of meeting his soul’s other half, and now that it did, the only thing he could think of was, _it’s not Chris_.

_You don’t know that_ , he tried, unconvincingly.

It was something he hoped for, but he also believed what he was taught: that the mark would appear _before_ he met the one person who was made for him. Not once in any of the stories he heard did the mark appear after meeting someone.

“Darren!”

When Chris’ voice reached him, Darren looked up and tried to push the fear out of his mind.

“Are you okay?” he heard the worry in Chris’ voice and nodded.

“Yeah, I’m sorry, I just…” he stopped, because he didn’t want to say too much, “I needed some air,” he finished weakly.

Thinking of telling Chris that he got his soulmate mark seemed too personal and too scary, so Darren bit his tongue and instead zoned in on the small packet in Chris’ hand.

“Oh, did you get the charm?” he said with a smile, shuddering at how fake it seemed even to himself.

**  
ϟ  
**

It was obvious that Darren wasn’t going to talk about what was bothering him, so Chris decided to let it go. They weren’t close enough for Chris to demand explanations, he reminded himself. Regardless of how attached to Darren he already felt, he would…

Chris thought of the mark on his arm again, a little shiver running down his spine at the thought of finding his connection to someone soon. He wondered, as they set off again to look around the market, if it would be there, if it would be immediate, if he’d know the moment he’d set his eyes on someone.

_It could still be Darren_ , a stray thought ran through his mind, _it **could** happen._

He didn’t let the thought linger, though, not when he couldn’t dismiss the facts that he knew, that the marks were a sign that soulmates were about to meet.

“Hey, Darren,” Chris said quietly just before they got back to the tour bus, “I… in the store where I got the charm, there was this…”

Darren’s eyes looked expectant, but Chris also noticed hesitation that almost made him rethink what he was about to do. But the silver was burning hot in his palm as he held the ring in his pocket.

“I got you something, as a thank you,” he held out his hand to reveal the silver band, “For today. For everything.”

He didn’t wait for Darren’s reaction once he handed the ring over. Instead, he almost ran towards the bus and claimed a free spot behind one of the other members of the tour group who was already seated. The final part of the drive, the one that was bringing them back to King’s Cross, was mercifully short. Chris used a moment when Darren was saying goodbye to the two youngest participants and he slipped out, not looking back as he rounded the corner and almost ran away from the station.

**  
ϟ  
**

“Hey, thanks,” Darren laughed when the little girl, Gemma, as he finally recalled, threw her arms around him when the bus came to its final stop.

“I had the bestest time!” she exclaimed and Darren looked up as her parents echoed the sentiment.

He got one more hug from the other kid in the group and then finally, nodding to the adults as they slowly filed out of the bus, looked around the suddenly empty and quiet space. But the one face he was hoping to see was nowhere to be found. Darren’s mood quickly deflated and he shuffled out, waving off the driver who offered to drive him home as he’d done a few times before.

“I’ll just take the Tube, don’t worry, I’ve got a few more things…”

The trolley wasn’t swarmed by too many people when Darren got close, so he stayed, smiling absent-mindedly at the people taking photos. There were a few who lingered for a bit and his heart skipped whenever a flash of blue caught his eye.

_It’s not him_ , Darren reminded himself.

Despite his elation at getting the mark, he couldn’t stop the feeling of disappointment that Chris seemed to feel so right, yet obviously wasn’t The One. He moved his shirt out of the way and stared at the mark, the red slowly fading and the black shape more prominent. He didn’t hold back the chuckle when he saw his mark was shaped like a lightning bolt.

“Cute,” he said to no one in particular.

“Hi.”

The quiet greeting tore him out of his thoughts and he looked up, apologies and explanations that he wasn’t talking to anyone stuck on his tongue when he saw who was there.

**  
ϟ  
**

Chris wandered around, not sure where exactly he was planning to go. The streets were all blurry, his mind too preoccupied to pay attention to anything beyond not getting hit by a car when crossing a road. His arm burned low as the mark was taking its shape, but he didn’t want to check or bring attention to it.

_Maybe it’s…_

Before he could finish the thought, he hushed himself internally. In his mind, there was no way that the mark would connect him to Darren, not when it only showed up _after_ they’d met. It was only when he found himself in front of the all too familiar construction barriers that he realized where his feet led him to. He’d gone around in a circle, from where the bus had let them out back to where everything had started.

_I might as well go_ , Chris thought.

He headed for the side of the station, head down, avoiding eye contact with anyone around. Everything else could wait a little, until he made one last stop at the trolley, if for nothing else than to remember it, no matter what fate had in store for him. His new mark started itching just as he approached the spot where the trolley was lodged halfway into the wall. Chris looked up just before he reached it and his eyes flew wide open at the sight in front of him.

Darren was leaning against the wall, eyes turned down to something on his wrist, forehead scrunched up in a frown. Chris couldn’t find the words, so he took the remaining few steps and that was when his gaze fell on Darren’s arm and the unmistakable black mark that looked like a tattoo at first.

“Hi,” he whispered, eyes still on the mark.

There was a beat of silence and then Darren’s head shot up and their eyes met as Chris finally looked away from Darren’s wrist.

“Hey,” Darren’s voice was low and weak, “What are you…”

Chris shook his head and whispered, “I don’t know, but…”

Instead of answering, he pulled up his sleeve to reveal the small lightning-shaped mark on his arm, the one that was a perfect match to Darren’s. He saw Darren glance down and then heard him gasp, but when he looked back up at Chris, there was nothing but brightness in his smile.

**  
ϟ  
**

They didn’t really talk until the trolley was tourist-free again and Chris walked back to it, waving Darren closer. A few pictures and reenactments of movie scenes later, Darren squirmed a little on the handles of the trolley where he’d climbed earlier. He grinned up at Chris, pointing up the wand he’d been carrying around all afternoon. Then he frowned as if he was trying to think of an incantation for a spell.

"Are you trying to charm me with magic? You know it isn't real if you use a spell, right?" Chris laughed, "or a love potion."

"I didn't think I'd need one, really," Darren smirked and pushed his sleeves up to his elbows, "Not with this."

He ran a finger over the small mark on his wrist, the redness around it already faded from the angry shade that looked so frightening at first. Chris gripped his fingers tighter around the handle of the trolley and watched Darren's hand brush over the black lightning shape. The now familiar tingling on his own arm sent a warm feeling through his body and he smiled.

"So, you," he stated simply, knowing Darren would understand the words Chris left unspoken.

"Me," Darren nodded, "I was hoping…"

"I think I was too," Chris admitted quietly, "I…"

"It's okay," Darren soothed the worry line above Chris' eyebrows, "I'm… I'm just really glad you came back."

"Me too," Chris' smile widened, "I'm glad I didn't scare you away."

"It would take a lot more than your insistence on one-upping me. Your brain is part of the appeal, really. I can't think of a reason to be scared."

"What if," Chris froze when the thought registered and just before he blurted it out, but then he looked into Darren's curious and hopeful eyes, "What if I kissed you? Would that…"

He didn't get the chance to finish the sentence because Darren pulled him closer and instead of waiting for Chris, stretched up so they could kiss. Moments later they both became aware of the audience they had, the few people who were still around the station now watching them.

"Inter-house bonding," Darren called out to a woman who glanced their way with a curious look, "Who am I to fight destiny?"

Chris couldn't stop the giggles or his blush when several people around threw them a thumbs up sign after Darren's comment.

"Come on," he tugged on Darren's hand, "let's take this somewhere we won't scandalize innocent bystanders."

"Could I take you out for dinner?" Darren suddenly seemed shy, "Or just coffee, I can do coffee too, but…"

"We do owe each other a date," Chris nodded, "Pity we can't make it a Harry Potter movie."

"I have the DVDs," escaped Darren's mouth before he could think of how it would come across, "I mean…"

"Dinner first, maybe? Before not so appropriate invitations to your place?"

Darren breathed a sigh of relief and quickly followed Chris who was already walking towards the stairs to the Tube. The tingling in his mark stilled as he got closer until it was a comfortable warmth the moment their fingers laced together and Darren couldn't hold back his happy smile.

**Author's Note:**

>  **A/N:** Massive thank you to my two Betas, for putting up with my last minute request. Also, those who talked me through my blocks: Thank you! [♥](http://cloud-sakura.tumblr.com/), [♥](http://averycrisscolferstory.tumblr.com/), [♥](http://ulysses31dancer.tumblr.com/), [♥](http://christinarn13.tumblr.com/) & [♥](http://caustically.tumblr.com/). Sometimes, it does take a village. And last but not least, thanks [Deej](djchika.tumblr.com) & [Nik](hellonik.tumblr.com) for everything.  
> 


End file.
